Story photos

An Indian Army officer helps an old woman get through the final steep stretch to Pishutop, the first peak of the Amarnath yatra. The army plays a vital role in making the yatra successful, ensuring the safety of the thousands of pilgrims in the remote high mountains.

Devotee on Amarnath yatra, Kashmir, India

The Amarnath yatra, a 45 km annual pilgrimage into the mountains in honour of Lord Shiva was an excellent experience to meet all kinds of people. Like some crazy devotees whose reasons we will probably never know (and maybe never understand). He would move ahead on his four limbs, stand, fold his hands and chant a prayer. Then get down on all four limbs ahead.

Exhausted sadhu on his way to Amarnath, India

While the other devotees start their climb from a point called Chandanwari, only the sadhus start 15 km earlier, from Pahalgam, the original starting point of the Amarnath yatra.

Sadhu lost in smoke, Kashmir, India

We encountered many sadhus (holy men!) like this, smoking up, lost in their own worlds on the way to the holy cave during the Amarnath yatra. Thousands of Hindus undertake a pilgrimage to Amarnath every year, at a height of 3888mt, in honour of Lord Shiva.

Gujjars are a nomadic tribe of shepherds who move up to the greener pastures in the hills in the summer. Come winter, they move down to the plains with their entire households and flocks. This was one such Gujjar family, happy to have us in their home.

Rashid Dar, was our guide on a forest trek near Yusmarg. He had lived quite an adventurous life so far. The forests surrounding Yusmarg were like his backyard and he was an expert at finding trails in the forest.

At the peak of summer, the meadows of Yusmarg are in full bloom. They are covered in bright yellow flowers. Yusmarg is still-not-so-popular destination in Kashmir. There are several day treks in the forests surrounding Yusmarg.

Vehicles are not allowed on the meadows of Yusmarg. By foot or on horses are the only means to get around Yusmarg. The horses are relaxing here in the evening after a long day of ferrying the tourists around Yusmarg.

Kids...ingenious and inventive...engineers in the making? They had themselves built these sledges. When a wheel came loose from one of them, they repaired it themselves, then and there! Read full story on Kids of the hills...

A fairy tale – was our first impression of Chatpal. A wooden cottage. A gushing stream next to it. Air so clean and fresh, it felt almost – unnatural! There are no “tourist points” to sit on a horse and see, in Chatpal. Getting lost in nature, or within oneself is the star attraction of Chatpal.